The Yu Garden is one of the most important examples of Chinese garden style and arguably Shanghai's most popular tourist sight. Nestled in tranquillity in the centre of the city, the Yu Garden was originally designed in the Ming Dynasty by the General Pan Yunduan as a gift for his father Pan En on his retirement.

The Yu Garden has had a tumultuous history and was damaged during the Taiping Rebellion and the Opium Wars in the 19th century. Since the mid-20th century, the Yu Garden has been restored to its former glamour and prestige and since the 1980s has become a national monument.

The Yu Garden is home to stunning pavilions, carp-filled ponds, and Chinese pine trees which seem to creep from the rocks and stagger jaggedly towards the sky. A place of meditation and relaxation, a reflective personality is key at the Yu Garden.

Next to the Yu Garden is the Old Town, also known as the Yuan Bazaar. Home to trinkets, nick nacks and souvenirs, the Old Town is set in the style of former Ming and Qing architecture. Bazaar in nature and bazaar in fun, please note that this area can get extremely busy